Needing a Friend (Remake)
by xXSaSuHiNaXx
Summary: When Hinata signed up for the Hunter Exam, the adventure ahead of her was not something she had expected.
1. Prologue

_**Edit: **2015/09/23_ \- Because I decided I needed to change it.

_**Author Note:** _The remake of _Needing a Friend. _After taking a good look at my story and seeing the many mistakes and inconsistencies in it, I've decided to remake it. This time, only better. It may start off weird, with Hinata being OOC compared to canon. But slowly and surely, you'll see that she's not all too different from canon Hinata. Just less shy and not as obsessed with Naruto. I hope to make this remake even better than the original. Please give me your support and patience.

Also, I've decided to make the pairing KilluHina as most of you guys wanted it.

**_Disclaimer: _**I don't usually include this, but I decided I should. Hunter x Hunter is property of Yoshihiro Togashi and Naruto/Naruto Shippuden is property of Masashi Kishimoto. I do not own the characters, setting, etc. that I may or may not use and are property of their respective owners.

* * *

_**Prologue**_

* * *

To be honest, the Hunter Exam never really interested her. The first time she'd heard of it was from a book in her family's library called _Wonders of the Outer World. _She'd barely given it much thought at the time, more interested in the various other things she'd found in the book. As she'd read more and more along, she was mesmerized. When she'd reached the end, she decided she had to go there and see for herself the wondrous world she'd read about.

Where there were no shinobi, no villages fighting against other villages, no clans putting pressure on heirs to become the greatest, and certainly no villagers who feared and loathed her.

Kurama had been in on it as well, though for different reasons than her own.

So, with that decided, she'd gone straight to the Hokage to beg for permission to go. She couldn't stay much longer in the suffocating village filled with hateful expressions aimed at her. No, the stress from her clan's great expectations was threatening to squash her like a pancake. And then her teammates and the few friends she had.

Of course, she loved each and everyone of them (some more than others), but she just needed a break. Someplace to go where she could be free, even if for a little while. She wasn't a branch member, but even her wings needed to be stretched.

However, it was a long process before she was able to go. Many times the Hokage had denied her access to the outer world and many times she had to plead with him, accompanied with promises that were almost impossible for her to complete. It had taken over a year before she was finally able to convince him, and even then there were conditions. Still, she had been so happy she could have exploded like a balloon. To think, she would be able to venture out and see the world, no worries about her village or other shinobi. She wouldn't have to fight battles where her life was on the line. No more seen as a monster or a simple tool.

So with everything packed for the trip and her goodbyes said, she left for the exam.

Only, she had no idea what was in store for her.


	2. Tough Beginning

**_Author's Note:_ **Sorry for the long wait, but I was on hiatus. With writer's block and life in the way, I'm having a hard time writing. Especially so since I'm more focused on my other story than this one, and it's hard to get the motivation. But I hope to be back with this story.

_"Talking in Japanese"  
_**_Kurama talking  
_**_Thinking  
_"Regular talking"

* * *

Hinata boarded the Kaijinmaru ship, ignoring the small crowd of people waving goodbyes to their family and friends. After the long trip from Konohagakure to Yorknew City, and then a miserable trek all over the 'outer world' trying to find her way to some Zaban city, she was exhausted. The sights were all spectacular and she wished she could do more research on this world, yet there was no time for that.

It was disappointing. It was exhausting. And she was torn between doing more exploring and sleeping for weeks.

Hinata slumped against the nearest wall she could find that had the least amount of people. The ship's occupants where divided into several groups, big and small, that kept tightly to themselves. Even if she could understand what they were saying, she had no chance of joining their circle. She honestly didn't feel like it at the moment, anyway. After so many years of negative attention, she didn't want to risk more.

Sighing, she shrugged off her backpack and rolled her shoulder. All of her ached. While she may be used to long travels, having been forced all over this world trying to find one city with her poor navigation and communication skills had put a huge toll on her.

_Hopefully I'll be able to get some rest while I'm here, _she thought.

And hopefully, she wouldn't have to deal with anymore trouble. Luck was never on her side, so she had more doubt than anything of this happening.

**_At least you're not back in Konoha, _**a deep familiar voice sounded within her head.

_"True,"_ Hinata muttered. _"I also got to explore more of this place than I thought I would have been able to. It's amazing I didn't go over the deadline for the Hunter Exam. It was a good idea I started out early."_

Kurama grunted.

Hinata smiled, eyes closing shut as she allowed herself to relax against the railing.

Not including her mother, Kurama was the closest to her. Being regarded as a demon among all of her world, everyone feared and loathed him. And as he was sealed inside her, she shared the same fate as him. Still, she could never hate him for this. After all, he was her first and truest friend in a world where nobody liked her. Sure, she had a few other friends, but if she were to choose, she'd pick him over the others.

Originally, their relationship was less than friendly. Most might say he was her biggest antagonist. But after learning more and more of each other, they'd come to an understanding which quickly blossomed into a beautiful friendship. Being stuck together since birth, he was the one that knew her the most. And in return, she knew him just as well. Both were inseparable, literally even.

Before long, the boat was sailing. With not much to do and the gentle encouraging of the rocking boat, Hinata allowed herself some blissful hours in dreamland.

* * *

Not even a day on the boat and already there was trouble.

Hinata, ever so reluctantly, forced herself wide awake and sat up, looking around. People were running here and there, with many of the more calm applicants talking to themselves. She frowned, wondering what was happening. Having been out for a while, she had no clue as to what she'd missed.

**_Apparently, a storm's coming or something, _**Kurama, ever the helpful one, informed her.

The girl looked to the sky and, lo and behold, storm clouds brewed a distance away. The seagulls were especially noisy, squawking atop the ship as if to warn the passengers of the dangers. Her frown only deepened and she briefly wondered what she'd done to deserve this. Weeks of traveling with little rest and yet another disaster soon to happen.

She sighed.

_"Is it too much to ask for a peaceful day with no interruptions?" _she mused.

Standing, the girl made her way inside the cabin of the ship. Many of the men, she could see despite not understanding them, wanted to brave it out in the storm and prove they weren't weak. This she knew because, despite some people pointing to the cabin, they refused to move. She rolled her eyes, wondering why men always had to act like dunderheads. Obviously, this storm would be big if even the captain's crew was telling them to get inside. Even still some time away, she could tell it would be troubling.

How so, she could only wish it wouldn't turn out completely terrible. She didn't want to get caught in anything major.

Once more she made her way to the least occupied spot she could find in the cabin. Unfortunately, the only one she could find was close to a business suit wearing man reading a dirty magazine. Even more unfortunately, any other potential place for her to sit was occupied with green faced men looking ready to empty out their guts.

With the choice obvious, Hinata reluctantly plopped down beside the businessman. She clutched to her coat, pulling it tighter around her. The man's every few perverted giggles had her wondering once more why her luck was so terrible.

**_I could always take care of him if you want, _**Kurama offered.

_No. I don't want you killing anyone, _Hinata thought.

He huffed.

"Hi!"

Hinata barely suppressed a squeal, startled. She looked up, her pale eyes meeting with warm honey ones. Immediately, she recognized the boy from earlier who'd yelled back to the island (and most likely back to his family) about something or another. She'd only took notice since he appeared to be the youngest applicant so far and his voice would have rivaled Naruto's.

Her brows furrowed, taking a moment to remember what the word meant. "H... hi?

He grinned, mouth opening wide, and nothing but jibberish rushed out of the open passage. Hinata stared at the boy, trying and failing to catch and understand the words leaving his lips. He talked so fast and so enthusiastically, she almost felt overwhelmed. Before he could even finish, she raised her hand and he immediately stopped.

The two stared at each other, the boy curious and the girl confused. Finally, after a moment in which she realized he understood her as much as she understood him, she held up a finger to relay that she needed a moment.

He patiently waited.

Hinata unzipped her backpack, rummaging through the contents inside. She pulled out a worn translation book and searched through it for what she needed. "An... Angurish -" she flipped a few pages, "-I... ano -" and another few pages, "...n-no... undasutando... du...?" It came out more of a question than a statement.

The boy, luckily, seemed to understand. He pointed to himself and said, "I'm Gon! Gon." Then, he pointed to her and tilted his head. "And you?"

Her brows furrowed, taking a moment to realize what he was asking. Finally, her face brightened and she nodded. "Hinata. Nama... ano..." she paused. "Watashi wa Hinata desu. Hinata."

His grin widened. "Hinata? It's nice to meet you! I wonder, what language do you speak?" He laughed suddenly. "But then, I guess you don't understand what I'm saying."

Hinata gave a crooked smile. She had no idea what he'd just said.

"That is the Japponese language, is it not?"

The two looked to the source of the voice, finding a blond haired boy making his way towards them. He stopped, leaving a short distance between them. "Hajimemashite, I believe that's the way you greet someone you have first met?" He smiled at the two, almost apologetically. "I apologize for eavesdropping, but I could not help to overhear. It's interesting to learn that someone from Jappon has come here to participate in the exams."

She still had no idea what they were saying, though she understood the greeting. At least there was one person that knew about her language, though she didn't know if he realized that she _literally _could not understand a word they were saying unless they were very, very simple ones.

The two males spouted even more jibberish (or at least, it sounded like jibberish to Hinata) while she watched on. She couldn't follow a word they were saying, but assumed they were talking about something other than her when she didn't hear her name being said. The male she was sitting beside gave a groan and glared at the two talking guys, muttering something under his breath that earned him an insult (or she assumed), which resulted in a yelling contest between him and the blond boy.

Hinata, not wishing to be a part of it and not having anything to contribute to the conversation, snuck away from the group and to another place. Unfortunately, that meant sitting beside some green faced men, but at this point she believed they were the better choice over arguing teen males.

_Why can't I enjoy a peaceful afternoon? _she thought to herself.

_**Because you're just that unlucky, **_Kurama, ever so helpful, said.

She sighed.

This would be a long journey.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent in the presence of puking and crying males. Gon and the blond had visited her a few times to talk, but quickly lost interest when they realized having any conversation with her was not possible. Currently, Gon was helping out all the sick within the cabin while the blond occupied himself with a book. The businessman still had his nose in his perverted book, which left Hinata mostly to herself.

She crinkled her nose, wanting to gag at the horrid smell of vomit and sweat. There was nothing to do and with the mess that was the cabin, she could only sit in her corner and hope for it all to end soon.

Honestly, she was miserable.

_Again, why do all these things keep happening to me? I thought that when I got here everything would great. Instead, I'm stuck here in a smelly room filled with sobbing adults, _she thought.

She never thought she'd think it, but she was starting to miss Konoha. At least there she had more room to move around in without fear of stepping on vomit or other disgusting things. Why was the world always out to get her? Maybe it was stupid of her to wish for a peaceful vacation away from her home where she could really enjoy herself.

**_You're just that unlucky, _**Kurama said.

She groaned to herself. _I can't even go to sleep._

**_You could always stay out in the rain._**

_And drown myself?_

**_I think it's better than being stuck in here. Even I'm getting sick._**

Maybe it was...

Hinata shook her head, ridding herself of the negative thought. The last thing she wanted was to end up at the bottom of the ocean. She doubted the Hokage would take kindly to the news of her willing death.

Yawning, the girl leaned back against the wall, eyes closing to the scene around her. If only she could get some rest. It had been a while since she'd had proper sleep and she craved it. Traveling for weeks on end with little rest could do a lot to a girl and all she wanted was some peace and quiet, which she wasn't getting at all... Honestly, did the world have to make her so miserable?

* * *

By the time the captain had come in to check on the passengers, Hinata had finally found a comfortable position and something to put over her nose and mouth to cover the awful scent that filled the air. She cursed her luck when she was forced awake by the captain's demanding voice, reluctantly getting up and removing the mask she'd put on her face. It appeared only the blond, the business man, Gon, and herself had been called to a talk and she wondered why.

Getting up, the girl secured her backpack on her back and made to stand next to the blond. The captain said something or another and led them to another room. Once everyone was inside, he asked something and Gon's hand immediately shot to the ceiling, saying his name. The two other males uttered what Hinata believed was their name and she assumed that this was what the captain was asking.

"Hinata," she said quietly, hoping her assumption was correct.

The captain nodded to each of them, before saying something else. Hinata's brows furrowed, her teeth biting into her bottom lip as she struggled to understand what was happening. The businessman yelled something at the captain in irritation, though Gon was much more calm about his answer. Then the businessman got even more irritated, with the blond saying something to make it worse.

Hinata wasn't sure whether the blond was insulting the businessman or whether what he'd said had just somehow offended him. Whatever it was, neither of the two could stand the other at this point. It only got worse as the blond continued to talk.

Then the captain said something that immediately shut the two up. Hinata, not understanding and wanting to know what was happening, took off her backpack and searched inside for the translation book. For the moment, she ignored the others and once she'd found what she was looking for, her face brightened. She opened the page, tuning back in and waited for something to be said.

.

.

.

Hinata looked around the suddenly silent room, only to realize everyone was staring at her. She shrunk in on herself, pink painting her cheeks in embarrassment. Had she done something wrong?

Gon seemed to realize something and he voiced his thoughts. The blond stared at her with small sympathy, while the business man proceeded to snicker into his hand. She had no doubt he was trying hard not to laugh at her. Cheeks only getting hotter and feeling beyond stupid, she wondered if there was anyway for her to merge with the floor.

She hated attention!

The captain spoke, the words deliberately let out slowly as if to make sure her mind could remember. Realizing he was asking her something, she searched the words he'd uttered within her translation book. It was an achingly slow process, but she'd finally understood.

**"Why do you want to be a Hunter?" **he'd asked.

She pursed her lips. How would she answer this? "Sutorongu... I be wa... wanto? Pea... peasu... ano..." Why was this so hard? Ugh, she never knew she could hate a book so much before until now. If only there was a faster way to get her words across.

"So you want to be strong and live in peace?" the captain translated.

Hinata nodded hesitantly. It sounded like what she was trying to say, so she went along with whatever the captain had said. Hopefully, she'd gotten it right. She felt so stupid for not knowing this. Honestly, she should have studied more before coming here! It had escaped her that the people here spoke another language, seeing as everyone in the countries surrounding her home could easily communicate without any trouble. And while in her travels, despite catching a few words, it seemed every country spoke a different language, so she didn't bother memorizing everything she'd learned.

Apparently satisfied, he moved on to the others. Hinata was relieved that the attention was no longer on her.

The others spoke of what she assumed to be their reasons, which led to a fight between the blond and the businessman. Wanting nothing to do with it, Hinata didn't bother to chase after. It was only when one of the crewman pointed out a waterspout heading their way and everyone but the captain raced outside did she join in. She may not understand what they were saying, but at least she knew that everyone was at risk of dying if that thing hit.

Joining Gon on one of the ropes, Hinata helped pull the sails up. With chakra pumped to her feet, it was less of a struggle to keep balance on the rocking ship. She had no idea how the blond and businessman, who were preparing to fight in the middle of the deck, were able to so easily keep balance. It was hard for her not to slip without her chakra helping her.

That, however, she pushed to the back of her mind in favor of helping the guys with the sails. It was a tedious task, but slowly they were making progress. It wasn't until a large wave swooped in did more trouble come. The men on the other rope lost their grip on it and they barely escaped getting taking out into sea. One of them, unfortunately, wasn't lucky enough. With the rope out of the hands of the men, it went soaring into the air, along with only one crewman too stubborn to let go.

Immediately, the hold on her rope loosened and she prepared herself to jump after him, only to stop when she realized _everyone else was thinking the same thing. _She grunted, forcing more chakra to her feet as everyone let go at the same time.

Only Gon had any real success of keeping himself up, as the others immediately slipped and fell, barely hanging on as another wave rounded on them. With the only person holding the ropes, she struggled to keep it from pulling her into sea as well. With her Byakugan activated, she watched the boy jump after the crewman into the sea with no second thoughts, grabbing his ankles. Before either of them could fall in, however, blondie and the businessman caught them, pulling them up.

_I could reeeeally use some help right about now, _she thought.

With the second rope loose, it flew in the air. Completely forgotten by the others, no one took notice as it lashed back down on the boat. One man almost fell out of the boat upon finally noticing it was heading straight for the men and Hinata. Pouring chakra to her hand, she caught it in midair with a grunt before it could do any damage.

The others stared, speechless.

_I am seriously about to be blown away. Please, help me! _Hinata almost begged in her mind.

**_Need me to lend chakra? _**Kurama suggested.

She bit her lip. _I'd rather not expose myself._

**_Then you want to die?_**

She groaned.

Finally, finally, someone came to help her. One of the crewman quickly grabbed hold of the two ropes when he'd noticed her slipping. That snapped everyone else out of their dazes and they immediately took charge, helping her. She relaxed, glad for the burden that had been lifted off her. With everyone's help, they were finally able to secure the sails.

By the time everything was over and she was back inside the cabin, she was completely soaked from top to bottom, not to mention exhausted. As her style of fighting did not rely on brute strength, she hadn't had much reason to train herself in it. Who knew there would come a time when she'd need it for something other than fighting?

Hinata flopped down to her corner, wrapping her arms tightly around her and trembled in her freezing body. This was not what she'd been expecting to do when she came here.

Hopefully, she wouldn't have to do it again anytime soon.

Too exhausted to remain awake, she finally allowed her body some much needed rest.

* * *

"Blah blaah blah blaaaaah blaaah blah," said the captain.

He pointed towards a mountain with a large tree resting on top. After the whole ordeal on the boat, the captain had passed the four of them. Gon, who'd decided to stay back and talk with the captain, was now chatting away with the man. Hinata, who had no idea where to go and hoped to get some clue, had stayed behind as well. After a lot of talking and laughing, the captain finally gave what Hinata assumed was directions. And when Gon headed out, Hinata stayed behind for a few more seconds to thank the captain.

Seeing as the three were already in a group, Hinata didn't wish to impose on them. So, with her next destination decided, she headed out on her own. It was hard not to stop by the shops selling extraordinary objects and exotic foods. There was still so much to learn about this world and Hinata couldn't help but feel disappointed.

If only she had more time to explore (never mind that she'd already done a ton of exploring before she'd finally found the Kaijinmaru ship).

Hinata activated her Byakugan, maneuvering her way around any dangerous beasts or traps she saw. Ahead was a small town that would have had her assuming it to be deserted if it wasn't for her eyes. She paused before the gates, wondering whether she should head inside or not. There was a group of two already in the center, talking to some old lady.

**_Are you sure this is the way to go? _****_This could be a trap, _**Kurama voiced her concerns.

Hinata pursed her lips. _I'm not sure, but the captain told us to go this way. Besides, any other way around the hill would have had us encountering dangerous beasts. The old woman possesses the Hunter Association symbol on her cane, so she's probably another examiner like the captain, _she thought.

Finally making up her mind, Hinata stepped inside. The group had already gone ahead, proceeding forward past the old lady and group of masked figures. Once in the center of the town and in front of the people, she listened patiently as they chanted something and the woman spoke.

Hinata, of course, had no idea what they were saying. She remained silent for a long time even after the woman had finished talking. Not knowing what to say, she was left with the choice of saying nothing. With all eyes on her and feeling like she'd missed something important, Hinata moved to fish out her translation book. To her utter surprise, just before she could get out her book, the woman had yelled out that she'd passed.

What she passed, she had no idea.

But not wanting to feel stupid again in only two days, Hinata just nodded. The woman gestured towards a hidden door to her right and spoke once more, which again sounded jibberish to Hinata. She nodded once more before bowing to the woman and leaving down the tunnel.

_Maybe I'm not totally unlucky after all, _she thought.

**_You're gonna jinx yourself._**

_Can't I even hope?_

Hinata activated her Byakugan once more, looking out for any traps or beasts. With the path clear ahead of her, she hoped that this time, it wouldn't be so demanding as the last. She needed a break from the craziness.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thanks for all your patience. I know this isn't an incredibly long chapter, and there really wasn't much action in here, but I hope it will satisfy you until the next update (whenever that comes).

**Pri-Chan 1410: **Sorry for taking so long, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. There's a lot a plan to change and a lot I plan to keep the same. For spoiler purposes, I'm not gonna reveal them. However, I hope that I won't disappoint you! :)

**The K9: **Thanks for the review! I hope to keep you happy :D

**Carol Zoldik: **Sorry for taking so long and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The pairing is Hinata and Killua, so don't worry! I've never thought of getting Hinata with Hisoka, though. That's an interesting couple. Well, maybe next time. Thank you for the review!

**Cookie-chan99: **I'm glad you enjoyed the first one and I hope not to disappoint you with this one. I might put the Konoha arc in here, too ;)

**Deathstroke Terminator: **It's September now, but at least I updated, right? Hope it doesn't take me as long this time. Thanks for the review!

**Guest: **Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy this story and I'll try to add more KilluHina in here, maybe. Thanks for the review!

**SlightlyYandereMelissa: **Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope to not disappointed. Thanks for the review!

Wow, seven reviews! I never expected this. Well, I hope it continues. I love reviews and seeing the decreasing amount of reviews in other stories has me disappointed. I mean, it always makes a writer's day to see someone giving feedback and with so little nowadays, I understand why some of them get discouraged and even stop writing. Anyway, thanks again to all of you reviews.

**_~Review~_**


	3. The Hunter Exam

**Warning: **Has not been edited because I'm too lazy to go over it again. If you spot any mistakes, I apologize for burning your eyes.

* * *

Making her way through the dark tunnel, Hinata was quick to realize that it would be a long trek. Many times she worried that some sort of beast would appear and attack her, or perhaps she would set up a trap or something. So far, there was nothing and considering her luck, that spelled trouble. She couldn't believe that this would be a nice and peaceful walk. It just couldn't.

**_You're being paranoid, _**Kurama remarked.

_I'm being realistic, _she said.

He rolled his eyes. **_Even if something happens, it's not like you'll easily die. You're strong enough on your own and even there, you have me. Stop worrying so much._**

_That's a little hard to do considering my luck, _she replied.

Perhaps Hinata was being paranoid, but usually about now something would happen. She wasn't used to actual peace and quiet, expecting something to pop up or maybe even Naruto sneak up behind her and exclaim he wanted another fight with her. There was just _something._

Even when she got her peace she still wasn't at peace.

Hinata sighed, deciding to focus on something else. She wondered how her teammates were doing, considering they were a member short. Originally, she was supposed to be put on a tracker team, but with her bad teamwork and complaints from parents who refused to allow their kids on the same team as jinchuriki, she'd been stuck with Team Seven, now known as Team Kakashi.

Her teammates were the famous Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, the best of the class. Her sensei was the legendary copycat ninja, Kakashi. With her added to the team, that made the strongest gennin team from their class.

Despite Naruto's constant complaining of her and the many fights he liked to pick, and Sasuke's need to prove himself better than her, they got along pretty well. At least, much better than had she been placed on another team. Contrary to what they let others believe, they worked great as a team when things really mattered. Kakashi still had troubles understanding their relationship.

With her gone, she had no doubt the two were pestering Kakashi now.

_Maybe I should have asked if they could join me. The journey would have been more adventures and I wouldn't be bored now, _she thought.

**_I would have a headache, _**Kurama complained.

_You always have a headache, _she retorted.

Kurama never really liked others and found them annoying. Naruto, being the loudmouth he was and Sasuke, who occasionally joined on the fun, were the biggest eyesore in his opinion. She doubted he actually hated them, though. Sure both were still wary of the fox, but were slowly getting used to the idea of working with a supposed demon. There weren't many who could think of Kurama without hate.

**_They never leave us alone, _**he grumbled.

_They like to challenge you. You are the strongest person they know, so it's understandable that they want to fight you. After all, if they can beat the mighty Kyuubi, wouldn't that make them the most powerful shinobi in the world? _she thought.

He huffed. **_Like that'll ever happen._**

_You never know._

Hinata paused mid-step at the sight of light from an open passage further up the tunnel. Branches stuck out in every direction, the trees lining up messily over the land. The wildlife chirped as if to greet her arrival and she proceeded into the dense forest, Byakugan immediately activated. Her vision enhanced, there were many creatures that were nothing she'd seen before. One in particular was observing her closely, following her stealthily through the shadows. He didn't appear to notice that she could see him and she decided to play naive a little longer.

The girl headed to where she could see a cabin. She wasn't sure which way she needed to go, but as there was nowhere else and the cabin held the only two humans she could see in this forest, she decided on that route.

To her surprise, once the creature who'd been following her left to the cabin and informed the humans inside, _one of them changed shape. _Now there were two of the creatures who, along with the two humans (who she had the suspicion that they also weren't actual humans), scrambled around the cabin. By the time she was there, one of the two creatures had hidden itself well out of sight (but not out of the Byakugan's sight) and the other stood atop the two human-looking creatures, as if in the midst of killing them.

She opened the door. One of the two human-looking creatures, a woman by appearance, screamed in convincing terror. The other human-looking creature whimpered, clutching at his 'bleeding' shoulder. The third creature cackled maliciously.

Before she could say anything, he gave another cackle and jumped out the window.

She didn't follow.

"P... please! My wife," the 'bleeding' man gasped out, hand outstretched in the direction the creature and woman had gone. "Please save my wife!"

Hinata pursed her lips. Was this some sort of trick? A trap?

Was she being examined again?

She had no idea what the man had saved, but she assumed he wanted her to follow the two. With a silent nod, she took off, wondering what she had to do. She couldn't actually fight against the two, could she? After all, while the creature had appeared to be taking her hostage, he wasn't actually doing so. They knew each other - probably were family. Maybe she just had to figure out their real identities or something?

_'Look underneath the underneath', or so I've been taught. Still, there isn't much information to go on, considering I don't understand a thing that's being said, _she thought.

She wasn't exactly from here, after all.

**_It probably is another test. I say you either need to defeat that thing or reveal what it really is, _**Kurama said.

Hinata frowned. _How am I supposed to reveal it when I can't actually state that I know what it is?_

**_Force it to reveal itself? Or maybe go after the woman. You don't necessarily have to talk, just find a way to prove yourself._**

She wanted to roll her eyes. Yes, great advice. Except that it didn't really answer her question. Well, if the test was to get the woman back safely to her husband, which was her best bet, then fighting the creature might be her only choice. After all, if they were testing her, then no doubt they wanted to see what she was truly capable of. That was what the chunnin exams had done.

Launching herself into the air, Hinata zipped from tree branch to tree branch. With her Byakugan activated, it was no problem catching up to the creature and woman. It spotted her almost immediately, giving another cackle and changed direction. Hinata easily kept up.

"Impressive that you can keep up. However, that's not enough to catch me!" it said.

Hinata blinked, surprised that it could talk. Then again, if it could disguise itself as a human, then it shouldn't be surprising to her if it could also speak like a human. She did possess what at first glance looked to be a gigantic fox that could talk, never mind that he wasn't a simple animal like that. Speeding up, she shot past him, nothing but a blur to his eyes, and twisted to face him, stopping.

He yelped, barely stopping himself from ramming into her. Taking this slip-up as her chance, Hinata jammed a chakra-free palm into his chest, taking the woman from his arms in the process. Before he could properly react, she used his body to propel her up onto the nearest branch, shoving him to the ground at the same time.

"Uwaaaaahhhh!"

**_BAAAM!_**

Hinata landed safely on a branch, the woman held securely in her arms. _"You're safe now, don't worry."_

The woman stared, blinking rapidly as the words passed through her head. Hinata had completely forgotten that she didn't speak the same language, so neither of the two could understand the other. She felt stupid for forgetting such an important fact.

"M-my husband... Is my husband alright?" the girl questioned.

Hinata's brows furrowed and she pursed her lips. She couldn't understand at all.

Since the creature was out of the picture at the moment, Hinata used this chance to take the woman back to her husband. Hopefully, she hadn't done the opposite of what she was supposed to. With the woman in her arms, it was a lot slower getting back and by the time she was there, the second creature she'd seen who'd hidden itself was there, threatening to kill the 'bleeding' man.

He let out a shout, a mixture of worry and relief in his tone. The woman screamed. The creature cackled, saying something that Hinata couldn't understand.

Hinata gently set the woman down and, just as the creature's claws were centimeters from the man's chest, Hinata pushed it back with strike from her palm. It crashed into the wall behind it with a loud smash, groaning in pain as it fell to the ground.

_Oops, I think I hit it too hard, _she thought.

She really hoped she hadn't just completely blown her chances of getting into the Hunter Exam. Naruto would laugh at her if he found out she failed before she could even start. Not to mention the Hokage would be disappointed.

Turning back, she found both the human-looking creatures frozen in shock, staring with mouths agape at their easily defeated companion on the floor. Hinata took a step forward.

They inched back, whether unconsciously or not. Worry swirled in their eyes and Hinata could see they were torn between keeping up their act and checking on their companion. Deciding to make it easier, she gestured for them to check the creature out, hoping to relay that she knew what was happening and they didn't have to pretend. They didn't seem to understand.

The woman smiled warily, muttering something before rushing to her husband, looking him over.

Hinata frowned. She really should have studied more on this world's language before coming here. This was getting harder and harder for her.

Luckily, the creature was quick to regain consciousness and it stood up, ready to take on his role once more. Hinata sighed, fishing for her translation book. She wasn't given enough time to find it before the creature was attacking her. With quick speed that had the creature frozen in place, Hinata's hand poised a kunai to its throat. Unsure whether it'd be safe for her to remove it yet or not, she looked through her book.

"I... eto... I kn-know," she tried.

They didn't respond.

_Did I say it wrong? _she wondered.

Hinata finally dropped the kunai from the creature's neck and focused solely on the translation book. She flipped through pages, trying to find the right words to convey her message, all the while the three stared. She couldn't describe how uncomfortable she felt.

"I... undastan... wato ano... i-i-"

The creature cackled, this time more out of amusement than malice. Hinata blushed as the other two joined in and she wished that she could merge with the floor. It seemed like everyone found her situation hilarious.

"Ah, I understand. So you're not from here, are you? That explains you appearance. But I'm surprised you figured everything out," the creature said.

The other two exchanged a look.

Hinata blinked.

Apparently not seeing her as the enemy any more, it turned its back to her and moved to one of the cabinets in the cabin room. Hinata watched as it fished out a small device and pressed the tip to its chest, a click sounding before as it pulled some sort of trigger._ "There, that should do it."_

Hinata gaped. It was talking her language.

The creature smiled. _"Can you understand me?"_

She slowly nodded.

It's smile widened. Moving to its two companions, the creature plopped down beside them and patted the floor next to it. _"Well, don't be shy. Come and sit. There's no point in continuing with the act if you already know. I'm sure you have a lot of questions, though I'll save if for when my husband returns."_

As if on cue, the second creature burst through the doors. One look around and immediately he understood what happened. He laughed to himself before plopping down on the other side of his apparent wife. "Ah, so she passed?"

"Yes, and she knew all along what was happening. I didn't expect someone who couldn't communicate with us, though. She's definitely impressive, more than qualified for the exam," the wife said.

Hinata looked between the two, not understanding what was happening. Hesitantly, she took the offered seat next to the wife. _"Umm, what's going on?"_

_"Ah, right. Sorry. Why don't we begin with introductions? I'm a navigator, as is the rest of my family," _she gestured to the other three. _"On top of that, we were given the task of examining any potential applicants of the Hunter Exam. Only those we deemed worthy are allowed to go to the Hunter Examination site, which is our role to take them there. These two are my son and daughter, both Kiriko."_

Hinata nodded.

_"You can call me Sian and my husband is Roren. My daughter is Lithia and my son's called Sylan. Though most just prefer to call us 'Kiriko'," _she introduced.

_"I'm Hyuga Hina... pardon, I'm Hinata Hyuga," _she replied. It almost escaped her that people here started with first name then last, unlike back home. It was one of the things she could remember from the book she read.

The three, besides Sian, stood and moved towards the cabinets the wife had gone too not long ago. Hinata wondered if they were going to do the same thing as the wife.

Sian continued, _"The Hunter Exam changes site everywhere, so it's very difficult to find the location. That's why us, Kiriko, are put in charge of taking the applicants we deem worthy to the site."_

_"We test all applicants that come in order to see whether they are qualified for the exam or not," _the husband-who's-actually-the-son said.

_"You'd be surprised how many people have failed these tests, so not all applicants make it," _the wife-who's-actually-the-daughter said.

Both took their previous seats, with Roren the husband following suit.

_"Hinata-dono, you have shown superhuman physical abilities and your eyes are sharper than any hawks. You were easily able to figure out the truth and for that, you are more than qualified for the exam," _Roren praised.

The daughter, Lithia, nodded in agreement. _"And not only that, but despite knowing that I was in no real harm, you still went out of your way to make sure I was rescued and properly taken care of. Though the language barrier did mess with this a little. You have passed our test."_

Hinata smiled, ducking her head timidly. Her eyes landed on the device Sian had planted in her chest and she was reminded of her earlier question. _"Umm, if I may ask, what are those devices? Do they allow you to communicate with me, since we couldn't understand each other before?"_

They nodded.

_"That's right. These are translation devices that were specially made by the Hunter Association. A long time ago, a war began between Kakin and Arzhenia after a mistranslation in a peace letter. After that, these translation devices were built in order to prevent another war breaking out between countries, as well as make communicating with other nations easier. Though nowadays, most are taught both Anterian and their native tongue, so it's uncommon to find people who can't communicate with others. Still, every so often there comes a applicant like yourself, so we've kept these translation devices just in case," _Roren explained, tapping the identical little gray translation device in his own chest.

_"Unfortunately, we don't have anymore of these. We were given these upon getting the job, so I can't tell you any useful information on where you can buy one. However, once you get to the exam site, there'll be a Hunter there who you can ask. They'll most likely know and be able to supply you with one. If not, then they'll at least be able to tell you where to find these," _Sian said.

_"Thank you, that really helps," _Hinata said.

Sian stood and stretched her hands. _"From what I heard last, there should be a few more applicants coming this way. Unfortunately, we won't be able to take you immediately to the exam site, as those applicants will needed to be tested as well. However, you are more than welcome to stay here and wait. Just as long as you don't reveal the truth to this test."_

_"Of course," _Hinata replied.

From then on the five of them chatted idly while waiting for the remaining applicants. The cabin had not been cleaned, as it was important setup, but Hinata was still offered some delicious tea and told many stories of this country. When the remaining applicants had come, Hinata hid herself within the trees and watched on as they went through the same test as her.

* * *

_"Hinata-san, it's okay to come out now!" _Sian called.

All three boys were startled when the blunette appeared out of nowhere beside the Kiriko that had called for her. They stared, completely forgetting what had happened for a moment, before something clicked in Gon's mind and he let out a gasp. That seemed to snap the other two out of their dazes.

"Oh hey, it's you! Hinata from the captain's ship!" he remembered.

Hinata smiled, surprised that he still remembered her, and bowed towards the three men. She opened her mouth to greet them, only to shut it when she was reminded of the fact that they wouldn't be able to understand a thing she wanted to say. Instead, she just nodded to confirm he was right. "Gon-san."

"Gonsan?" Gon questioned.

"The 'san' for formality, in a way," Roren explained.

"Oh. Well, you don't have to. Just call me Gon," Gon said.

Roren translated for Hinata.

_"Gon-kun? Sorry, I'm not used to not adding an honorific to the end of people's names," _Hinata replied, which Roren translated.

"It's no problem!"

"Well then, shall we get going?" Sian said, interrupting the moment.

Before long, they were on their way.

* * *

It wasn't until morning that they reached Zaban city. Hinata and the others bid goodbye to the three Kiriko who left, with Sylan the son staying behind to act as their guide.

Lining the streets in neat rows were stands selling various products. Fruits and vegetables decorated some, filing them with an array of bright colors. Jewels glittered in the sun's light and clothes moved with the small breeze. The air smelt of soups and other foreign foods. Hinata wished she had more than two eyes to take everything in at once. She would have activated her Byakugan if not for the fact that it was an abnormal sight to the civilians.

_"Everything's so different here," _she mused, taking in a lungful of the sweet smelling air.

_"Oh, is it very different from where you come from?" _Sylan inquired.

Hinata nodded. _"That's right. It's not only the language, but the whole culture is different."_

_"What's it like where you come from?"_

The boys listened in on the conversation, though admittedly could only understand Sylan thanks to the translation device he still wore. Still, to learn anything about where she came from was an interest they shared. She seemed a lot different from the people they'd seen in their lives.

_"I come from Konohagakure which is located in Hi no Kuni. It's one of the five great countries of my world and most of the villagers are shinobi, there that doesn't mean there aren't any regular civilians. Our leader is what is known as the Hokage and only the strongest and most respected of shinobi are selected to the position. Our current Hokage is Nami... Minato Namikaze, who's renowned throughout the lands as the Yellow Flash."_

_"I've never heard of Hi no Kuni or Konohagakure before. Must be a great place if it's considered one of the five great countries of your world. I take it that shinobi are ninja?"_

Hinata nodded.

_"No wonder you're so talented despite being so young. We also have ninja here, though they're all in Jappon and not a lot is known about them expect that they're deadly fighters and live in the shadows," _Sylan said.

_"Oh, really? I've been through a lot of places in my journey to get to the Hunter Exam, but I don't think I had the opportunity to go there."_

_"You've been traveling around the world before applying for the Hunter Exam?" _he questioned.

She laughed sheepishly, ducking her head. _"A-actually... I kinda got lost and since I couldn't communicate with anyone here, I had to look for it on my own. It took me a while before I was able to find a ship to Dolle Island and from there, to the Lone Cedar Tree."_

He laughed.

The three boys behind them exchanged looks. Gon's brows furrowed.

"What's a ninja?" he questioned.

"They're mercenaries originating from Jappon who are skilled in martial arts and ninjutsu. Because of their mastery in stealth and killing, they are hired for covert purposes like assassination and espionage, among other things. They're said to live in the shadows and are hard to spot. It's a miracle if someone can escape them, which is said to be impossible as they don't stop until their mission is complete," Kurapika explained.

"In other words, they're really cool," Leorio, ever the helpful one, summarized.

"Oh, I see. So Hinata's a ninja?"

Leorio snorted and waved the idea out the window as if the mere thought was crazy. "I highly doubt that. There's no way a puny girl like her can be one."

"But Mr Kiriko mentioned it," Gon reminded.

"Yes, though there's no actual proof that she is one," Kurapika replied. Even he was having a hard time picturing the girl as a ninja.

Gon frowned thoughtfully.

_"What about the Hokage? You say they're supposed to be the strongest person in the village, correct?" _Sylan continued, ignorant to the conversation happening behind him.

Hinata nodded. _"That's right."_

_"The current Hokage is... Minato Namikaze? Why is he called the 'Yellow Flash'?"_

_"A long while ago, during the Third Shinobi World War, Hokage-sama was able to single-handedly wipe out the opposing forces with little time. They say that when he's in battle, you can only see a yellow flash before the enemy is defeated. He's so fast that nobody's been able to match him yet," _Hinata explained.

She had no problem revealing this information to him (and through him to the three boys walking behind them). After all, this was basic knowledge all shinobi learned in the academy. Even civilians knew. She wasn't revealing his powers, just the fact that he was strong and fast, so it wasn't a danger to say. She smiled at her guide's awed expression.

_"Your Hokage defeated the enemy all by himself? How many were they?"_

_"It was an army from Iwagakure, which is one of the other five great nations, and it's believed that the number is close to a 1,000."_

_"A thousand men? He must be extremely strong to take on so many people at once," _Sylan said after a long moment of shocked silence.

Hinata nodded. Looking behind, she found that the three boys were speechless with this piece of information. Leorio, the businessman, was having a hard time believing it. Then again, she wasn't so surprised considering he made it his goal to criticize her. Her smile widened. She never had the opportunity to brag about anyone, especially her Hokage, since they were already pretty well known or she just simply didn't know what to say about them. Who would have thought it would feel this great?

**_You're getting too proud. In my opinion, he isn't the best out there, _**Kurama said with a roll of his eyes.

_You're just jealous, _Hinata shot back.

He huffed. **_As if._**

_I can brag about you too if you want. Hokage-sama isn't the only one I admire, _Hinata mentally said.

He grunted.

Hinata correctly assumed he was more than a little embarrassed. He never could get completely used to compliments, considering most of his life he was feared and loathed. She enjoyed making him flustered. It was a nice change from her being the one.

"We're here," Sylan announced.

The four applicants came to a halt and stared at the building in front of them. Hinata felt her breath taken away, amazed with how large it was. It easily towered over her and, she had no doubt, could tower over the Hokage Tower. _"Th-that's a huge building. Is it really where the Hunter Exam is taking place?"_

She'd expected something less... flashy, to be honest. Considering the exam site was supposed to be hidden from the public, this would be the more obvious place to look. Then again, she hadn't ever participated in an exam where she had to _find _the exam site with little clues. The closest she'd gotten was the Forest of Death, where she had to fight against other teams to get two scrolls and head to the tower in the middle, but then she knew where to go.

_Maybe I'm overthinking this. It's still an amazing place, _Hinata thought.

It would definitely be able to fit a lot of people.

"Hey guys, over here," Sylan said.

The four turned. He pointed to the building next to it.

"It's this one," he stated, amused.

Hinata stared. From the looks and smell of it, she deduced that it was restaurant. Now she was confused. Why would the Hunter Exam be in a restaurant? It didn't look like it was big enough to fit over a hundred people inside. Then again, looks could be deceiving and might actually be a trick.

**_At least you were right to assume one thing. The Hunter Exam isn't taking place in some flashy building. This is unexpected, _**Kurama remarked.

She couldn't help but agree.

"Blah blaaah blah blah..."

Hinata followed along with the guys as Leorio ranted on about something or another. She couldn't tell what he was saying, but she assumed he was complaining about the location or something. She didn't care to find out, anyway. He always had something to complain about.

"That's right. No one would expect the Hunter Exam to be located here, where millions of applicants would be gathered, right?" Sylan said.

Hinata nodded at the logic. She had been thinking the same thing, only it being a restaurant of all places had even her surprised.

"Come on."

Sylan conversed with the chief of the restaurant before they were lead into a backroom empty of anyone but themselves. There was a red table with four chairs and besides that, the room was bare of anything else. Hinata looked around, wondering where the others were. Perhaps this was an illusion or maybe there was some sort of secret passage, as she couldn't image why they would be brought here since this obviously wasn't the site.

"Wait here," Sylan said.

Leorio said something, to which Gon and Kurapika spoke up after.

Hinata looked between them.

"One in every ten thousand," Sylan began. "That's the number of applicants who are able to make it this far. You've done extremely well for first-timers. I wish you luck."

Gon chirped something, extending a hand to Sylan. For a moment he just stared, before finally shaking the hand with a smile.

Hinata smiled. _"Thank you for guiding us here. I hope we meet again someday."_

He nodded. "I would be more than happy to serve as your Navigator next year, as well."

He left with a goodbye.

Hinata moved to sit on one of the four chairs, giving little attention to the males in the room. She couldn't understand them. They couldn't understand her. The only person able to translate had just left. There really was no reason for her to try and strike up a conversation. So she waited, not surprised when the room started shaking. The room seemed to be moving, so she assumed this was an elevator or something along those lines. The others followed her example and sat at the table.

With nothing to do, Hinata closed her eyes and allowed her mind to wonder.

_Now that I'm actually here, I'm getting really nervous. I wonder what the actual exam would be like, _she mused.

**_It can't be too bad. Everything up to this point was easy, _**Kurama said.

The giant fox towered over her small figure. Currently in their own little world where he was sealed behind a cage, the two took this little moment of peace to hang out. As a jinchuriki, she had easy access to his cell and so could talk to him anytime she wanted, and even outside of here. He was a part of her.

Hinata plopped down on the ground, ignoring the water that clung to her legs and stomach. She never understood why this little world was so dark and depressing. Considering it was inside her mind, she had often wondered if she could change the landscape to something more peaceful and charming than this watery tunnel. There was no light within and it was amazing one could see the other in the darkness. So far, any attempts at changing it had led to failure and she was ready to ask Kushina about advice to brighten this place up.

Kushina had been Kurama's previous container, after all. She had to know something.

_Yeah, but if it's some kind of test about this world, then there's no way I can pass it. I don't know much, _Hinata muttered.

He waved her concern off. **_It's probably gonna be some fighting. You did a lot of it in the chuunin exams._**

_But this isn't the chuunin exams, _Hinata reminded him.

**_If you're that worried, think of what they would like in a Hunter. You should be able to figure out what the exam will be about from that, _**Kurama supplied.

Hinata frowned thoughtfully. _Well... I'd imagine that they'd want someone strong. I guess it's not farfetched to believe they'll have us fight. Someone intelligent, so there mind be a quiz or mind games involved. Hmm..._

The girl thought of all the possibilities that popped in her head, throwing out the more impossible ones and pondering on those that had a chance. There really wasn't much she knew about Hunters, so all her ideas were just that, ideas. She really should have done more research on this world. How foolish of her not to come prepared! Her father would have been disappointed of her if he'd learned about this.

Hinata sighed.

**_Stop thinking about your dad. Concentrate on the exam, _**Kurama told her.

Hinata had a hard time with that.

In the midst of the peaceful silence, Hinata found herself harshly snapped out of her inner world. Her head crashed with the floor and she groaned at the pain that shot out from the wound, spreading through her body like wildfire. Righting herself, she turned to clear at the offender, only to blink when she found Kurapika and Leorio arguing with each other. Gon was immediately by her side, sending billions of questions her way.

Hinata shrugged his concerns off, pulling herself up to her feet and giving the worried boy a reassuring smile. From the corner of her eyes, she caught Kurapika smacking the older boy upside the head.

The girl sent Gon a confused look, who just laughed sheepishly.

Both knew it was pointless to try and speak with each other.

Soon enough the elevator reached its destination with a ding that pierced the room. Everyone watched as the doors opened, unsure of what to expect. Outside, more than a hundred people stood staring back at them. They were in what looked to be a very large room with no lights or even maybe a tunnel. Hinata stepped out, looking around. Most of the applicants were men, with few women that she could spot. None looked to friendly and the atmosphere was so tense, she could have cut it with a knife.

_It doesn't look like the examiner is in here yet, _Hinata thought.

Thinking back to the captain and the old lady, both possessed an impressive amount of chakra. The people inside had little and, while they looked intimidating, Hinata couldn't find it in herself to fear scared.

_But not only that, I do sense two strong chakra signatures, _she noted.

They were suppressed, trying to blend in with the crowd. It was almost hard to pick them out from the other applicants. Had there's been less tamed, she would have assumed them ordinary. However, one in particular oozed deadly blood lust, forcing her hairs on end. She pursed her lips, her senses screaming at her to keep distance. He was the type to hide his power and only expose it to those he deemed worthy. She could only make guesses at how strong he really was.

**_You should stay away from that one. I don't think you're ready to face him yet as you are, _**Kurama said.

Hinata agreed wholeheartedly.

With everyone's eyes focused on them, Hinata decided this was as good a time as any to split from the group. She never liked attention. Besides, she didn't consider herself friends with any of the three. While she may liked Gon, that didn't mean they were close. They couldn't even communicate with each other. So she doubted he held any true feelings for her.

Taking the badge offered to her by a green faced little man, she left the group. Just in time too. A pudgy man with a boxed nose called out to the trio, revealing his position on one of the bumps on the wall above them.

Hinata faded into the crowd, searching for any potentially dangerous enemies. None but those two from earlier looked to pose any real threat, though she was careful in her search. She knew that a master of stealth could easily hide himself. Who knew how many other strong opponents were here?

_There's another boy my age, _Hinata thought, noticing a mop of silver hair meters away.

Hinata debated with herself whether to approach him or not, only to toss the idea out the window a second later. It was be pointless, since she couldn't communicate with him. Any information he may had would be jibberish to her ears. If only the examiner was here already, she could ask them for information on one of those translation devices.

**_He probably won't show up until the exam starts. Examiners seem to have a habit of doing that, _**Kurama said.

Hinata agreed. During her chuunin exams with her teammates, Ibiki had waited until the last possible second to show himself, startling many with his sudden appearance.

"Hello! You were with the group from earlier, right? You must be knew too, then. I'm Tonpa."

Hinata looked behind her, spotting the pudgy man from earlier. His face held a kind smile, masking his nasty personality. She didn't have to ask to know he was scheming something. He was practically oozing his intents to her. She frowned distastefully. _"I don't care for what you're planning."_

He blinked. "Oh, so you're from somewhere else? It sounds like you can't speak the same. But then, if that's so, then I guess you don't understand what I'm saying." He laughed.

_Does he not get the hint that I don't understand at all what he's saying and so don't care to talk to him? _she thought.

**_Apparently not._**

The man continued, offering a can of juice. "Well, even if we can't understand each other, at least we can drink! Here."

She stared at it. Then at his face. Then back at the can.

Her head shook negative.

"You sure? It's delicious!"

Hinata glared in warning, leaking out some of her killer-intent. He gulped, understanding and fear swirling in his eyes. Muttering something, he scrammed out of there. It was only when he was out of sight that she relaxed. With how scared he'd gotten, she doubted he'd be bothering her anytime soon.

Good.

**_BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!_**

Hinata jumped, startled by the sudden noise. A passage opened up ahead, revealing a purple haired man in a suit at the end holding what she believed to be the source of the obnoxious noise. He tapped the top of the thing and the noise disappeared, confirming her suspicions. Clearing his throat, he spoke to the crowd of staring applicants. Hinata still couldn't understand a thing.

The man twisted his body, walking off ahead. The applicants immediately followed.

Seeing as she didn't know what was happening, Hinata copied their movements. If they were following the man, than it was safe to assume he was the examiner. She smiled.

The Hunter Exam has finally started.

* * *

**AN: **Going through the list of rules and guidelines for making stories, I noticed it wasn't allowed for writers to respond to reviews in their chapters, but eh. I don't really care. Just because I'll probably accidentally forget to reply, I'm gonna keep on doing it this way (unless you guys don't want me to). I love talking with my readers :D

**Pri-Chan 1410: **I'm glad you liked it. The reason for the language barrier is that, speaking realistically, there's just no way she'd be able to speak the same language as the main gang coming from a completely different place from them. Maybe if the exam had happened in Jappon (which I believe is the equivalent of Japan) and everyone could speak that language, then she'd be able to understand. It probably does make things difficult, but I feel like it's more realistic this way. As you can probably guess from the mention of a translation device (which I partly got the idea from Isella of the Wolf Tribe and because I've always found it weird how everyone seems to understand each other perfectly wherever they go), the issue will be resolved soon enough. I hope it doesn't bother you too much. Thanks for the review!

**Parks98: **Yup, that's right! I apologize for making it confusing, but it should start getting more clear as the story progresses (I hope). And yeah, had Hinata come out and confessed in the beginning, the NaruHina ship would have sailed off quicker (Although considering how big a crush Naruto had on Sakura, he may or may not have rejected her back then). Thanks for the review!

**lexzly: **Yup, I plan on changing that. I mean, it's gonna be hard for her to hang out with the gang if she can't communicate with them. For now, she's stuck like that though (which I pity her a little for as it'll be difficult on her). But yeah. I don't plan on ever abandoning any of my stories (unless I really need to), so you don't have to worry! Of course, I can't promise I'll be able to update regularly, but I'll try my best to continue all of my stories! Thanks a lot for the review :)

**cookie-chan99: **I'm glad you did and I hope you like this one as well! I'll try not to take forever on the next chapter :D Thanks for the review!

**SlightlyYandereMelissa: **Glad to hear that! That'll be coming up soon enough (I hope). Thanks for the review :3

**clementines hat: **No problem, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reviewing!

**The K9: **Again, thanks for the review. I enjoy getting them!


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